Detroit Pistons vs Miami Heat - 3/17/2024
Game Breakdown
Pistons - 101 - 104 L
Cade, Ivey, Fontecchio, Stew, Duren
Opening action is some sort of misdirection for Fontecchio and does get him a wide open look that he simply misses
AWE, it was a fake double back screen for Stew post up that Fontecchio slips and gets screen from Duren to top of the key
This is setup by all of the post up isolation sets they run for Stew (even if I am not a fan of them)
Run the same action they have recently where they force Fontecchio man to be the tag on a roll and again get Duren a dunk
DOWN 2 WITH :50 LEFT IN THE GAME…WHAT DO WE GET ATO?
BETTER BE READY FOR HEAT TO BE IN ZONE
I don’t think they were BUT doesn’t matter because Cade goes and gets a bucket
Maybe they were and that was the play? Can see Fournier telling where Stew to be to keep the spacing
INSANE DEFENSIVE EFFORT AND ROTATIONS ON THE FINAL DEFENSIVE POSSESSION (what I thought was) FROM MULTIPLE DEFENDERS
First and foremost…..CADE CUNNINGHAM!
AND THEN THE MOST EGREGIOUS SHOT ATTEMPT YOU COULD HAVE
What was he thinking? Why? 10 seconds on the shot clock…
I will NOT blame Monty Williams for Cade’s decision on WHEN to shoot, he should be expected to know that
If Cade dribbles out the clock and gets a bad attempt THEN we can start to look at the coach
BUT I will say that I do agree that Monty should have taken a timeout to set something up in that situation
CELEBRATING the Goin’ To Work Team
The record of 5 consecutive games holding opponents under 70 points is one of the more “insane” stats in the history of team stats
Loved seeing Ivey and Cade Staggered in the 1st halfTeam is down when Ivey comes back in and is leading at the end of the 1st
May not have been directly correlated to his play
Even extends the lead a little more in the 2nd quarter (for a bit)
In general, I was fine with Monty rotations in this game considering what he has to work with right now UNTIL the Stew+bench lineup to start the 4th
And then he brings Cade back BEFORE Ivey in the 4th even though Ivey has sat for much longer…..
I love hearing the Pistons coaching staff on the broadcast
Great Example of Coaches obviously are preparing the players and the players need to execute
SLOB mid 2nd quarter, I can hear Jack say multiple times “watch the backscreen, JI”
Back screen comes, Ivey and Sasser do not execute whatever the coverage was supposed to be
Luckily, the Heat throw a bad pass and it’s a TO
Even Silas hops off the bench on a defensive possession and communicates the weakside rotations
Along with not wanting to see the “bigs” dribble the ball up the court (really anyone outside of Cade, Ivey and Sasser), I also don’t love them trying to force this big to big Hi/Lo action with Duren-Stew
OREB Given Up at 5:30 3rd Quarter is a microcosm of this team for me
1 person doesn’t do their job (Cade misses the weakside check out) BUT
3 other players have a chance to make up for it (Stew, Fontecchio, Duren) by giving a little extra hustle and none do so
Just seems like this is where this team is at
When it’s perfect, it looks good BUT
Too many individual mistakes and then not enough teammates making up for their teammates when they make those mistakes (because they do happen, even on good teams)
Jaquez gets an uncontested dunk off this OREB, btw
Too much “palms up” complaining to the officials for me recently from this team, as well
Multiple players, not just one or two
To go along with this though….I REALLY DISLIKE Monty not challenging the Cade defensive foul with 4:40 in the 3rd
Probably doesn’t matter for this game but I think it says something to your star player, especially with it being a defensive play
FUNNY ENOUGH…this became the starting point for the Pistons 3rd quarter run (63-79 after the FTs on this foul)....
GO ON A 13-0 RUN
DUREN block at 10:45 in the 1st is the stuff we need to see more and more
Had turned the ball over but hustles back and gets a block from behind
5th in the NBA this season in total dunks
STEW with another one of those transition run and early post up where he can just catch and score
These are the ones I like and support
SIDE NOTE: this was after a MADE FG by the Heat
It IS possible to get out in transition after makes
HAS to hit these wide open Corner C&S 3PAs
THESE especially are the ones he needs to make
35% on the year from the corner (that isn’t good enough)
Hits his 3rd attempt but 1/3 (from the corner) won’t do it
Hits a HUGE one with about a minute left in the game
Gives up a BAD backdoor to Jaquez late in the 4th
You can’t be the guy that does these things if this is your role
IVEY gets up a complete blow by to Rozier at 9:45 1st
He was even in a stance, it’s like he was surprised that Rozier attacked him
Will say, the next 3 possessions he gives up a little but gives that second effort I have written about and contests the shot at the rim
INSANE HUSTLE on what was going to be a TO on a post entry pass (from Fontecchio) turns into a layup for him
Feel like he is doing a lot of those “on the margins” things so far in this one
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the process 8:40 in 2nd quarter
Could have taken the 3PA BUT turns it down, attacks gives a hesitation move and scoop finish
Sits the final 18 minutes of the game…..
Still engaged on the bench, cheering, etc.
I REALLY respect that about this kid
CADE HAS TO STOPPING THROWING INTO CROWDS!!!
These aren’t even high enough reward plays
I hate to even think it but makes me wonder about how well he is processing the floor
Not sure I believe this (yet) but eventually something has to give
Hasn’t looked to score much early on BUT we see some decent defensive possessions
Gets some really good C&S 3PAs but isn’t able to knock them down
Making clutch shots deep in the 4th quarter
This is the kind of stuff we want/need to see from him
FONTECCHIO being just a tad too aggressive looking to score right now
Especially off the bounce
ABSOLUTELY LOVE the “Ghost and Pop” action for him
This guy does NOT get rattled by a couple misses though, I love it
Another game where you can see that he is going to make it difficult for offensive players defensively BUT just doesn’t have the same overall impact and presence as someone like Ausar
FOURNIER with a BRUTAL start to this one
Misses his first 3PA and then has a couple TOs
Makes a 3 legit immediately after I typed this
Wrote this in my notes last game that these “role players” can’t be guys having multiple TO games
I will say, he continues to surprise me with some of his defensive rotations
End of 3rd he even has one of my favorites….weakside rotation box out
And then hits some big shots in the 4th
I don’t agree with not playing Ivey the final 18 minutes BUT that doesn’t take away from the fact that Fournier was very, very good in the 2nd half on both ends of the court
UMUDE belongs on an NBA roster but in the stretch of games where he has played I don’t think he looks like a true NBA rotation player
AND….just like Fournier he hits a corner 3P immediately after typing this
Ehh!! Comes in and hits another one! (Prove me wrong, Umude!)
And another one!!! Go crazy, Umude!
Has had some nice defensive plays as well, good rotations
Multiple good on the ball
Had some GREAT contests
This game is making me rethink my initial sentence on him
NBA STATS this Season
20/41 from 3 (AWESOME and doesn’t include this game)
8/25 from 2 and negative ASST:TO ratio
WISEMAN illegal screens……
Listen, it could be on the ball handlers BUT Duren (and other bigs) aren’t getting 1 per game like him
Has to finish these opportunities he has gotten in the 1st half
Another rim protection in this game
SASSER having a game where he makes shots, just has to be consistent
Heat
Rozier, Robinson, Highsmith, Jaquez, Bam
Giving some full court pressure and while it doesn’t always force a TO (does get 1) it did seem to disrupt flow
ROBINSON becomes faster to 1K career 3PM in NBA HISTORY
343 GP (Hield, Doncic, SPIDA, Curry)
Gets it rolling in the 2nd quarter
He is absolutely WORKING them over in the 1st half
Now they have to overplay the 3P so he is just hitting them with backdoors
ABSOLUTELY INSANE MAKE late int he 4th
JAQUEZ does a great job using his body/strength and footwork on his drives but he isn’t able to finish here early in the game
Hits a BIG corner C&S 3P when his team needed it
Overall 3P% and Corner 3P% has not been good this year
Perfectly timed cut late in the 4th
Making CLUTCH plays and buckets
BAM being aggressive offensively (has to with no Butler)
Said it last game but I love when we see this out of him
MARTIN is so vital for this team
ROZIER looking very explosive and twitchy
Fast getting up and down the court, especially pushing the pace offensively